Emergency engine-stop mechanism.



T. W. VICKERS.

EMERGENCY ENGINE STOP MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. l5. 19M.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

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T. W. VICKERS.

EMERGENCY ENGINE STOP MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I5. 1914.

1,173,757. Patented Feb.29,1916.

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T. W. VICKERS.

EMERGENCY ENGINE STOP MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. 1914.

1,173,757. Patented Feb. 29,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WITNESSES l 6 317M050 Whiter-r BY I M 1% 4/36 THECOLUMBIA PLA IQGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

THEODORE W. VICKERS, OF FORSYTH, MONTANA.

EMERGENCY ENGINE-STOP MECHANISM.

Application filed April 15, 1914.

To all whomit may concern: w

Be it known that I, THEODORE W. VICK- nns, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Forsyth, in the county of Rosebud and State ofMontana, have invented a new and Improved Emergency Engine- StopMechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically stopping an'engineor train when the traffic conditions are such that a collision or otheraccident-might occur; and the invention relates more particularly to astop mechanism of that type whereby the propelling power is out off andthe air or other brakes set to stop the locomotive, car or train.

The generalobjects of the present invention are to improve and simplifythe construction and operation of mechanisms of the character referredto so as to be thoroughly reliable and efficient in use, comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture and install, and so designed as to be easilycontrolled by the engineer for regulating the supply of thepropellingenergy.

Another object of the invention is the provisirn of an elastic fluidpressurecontrolled motor for an actuating device, so designed that thethrottle lever can be adjusted to vary the position of the throttlevalve at the will of the engineer, while at the same time,under'emergency conditions, the motor will operate to automaticallyclcse the throttle so that the engine will stop, the stopping of theengine being positively provided for by the application of the brakeswhich are controlled at the same time as the throttle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novelelectro-magnetically controlled valve device for controlling the supplyof compressed air from the air brake system to the motor for thethrottle and for releasing the air from the train pipe, so that thebrakes will automatically set.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel arrangementof circuits and devices for the said electromagnetic controlled valve,whereby under emergency conditions the circuit will be automaticallyopened by means of a trip, so that the electro-magnet of the said valvewill be deenergized and the valve actuated f bya spring or'otheragencyto a position Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Serial No. 831,987.

where the throttle will be closed and the brakes set, said trip being,actuated by a device arranged alcng the roadbedand so controlled thatunder emergency conditions it will be disposed in the path of the tripof the locomotive or train so as to actuate the trip.

With such objects in view, and others which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features ofconstructirn and arrangement of parts which Will be set forth withparticularity in the following description and claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, and wherein similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views, Figure 1 is a side view of aportion of a locomotive showing the stop mechanism applied thereto;Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views of a throttle operating motor andelectro-magnetically controlled valve device for controlling the motorand the brakes of the train, the parts in Fig. 2 being shown in normalposition and in-Fig. 3 in emergency position; Fig. 4' is'an end view ofthe valve device; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the circuitconnections.

Referring to the drawing, Adesignatcs a locomotive which has the usualthrottle valve B for supplying steam to the engines,

and in connection with the rod 1 of thethrcttle valve is a motor C whichis adapted to close the throttle valve under emergency conditions oftrafiic, this motor being so designed that a throttle lever orequivalent means 2 may be employed for opening and closing the throttlevalve to the desired extent. The motor C comprises, as shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3, a'cylinder 3 in which slides a piston 4 that is connected withthe valve rod 1 that extends through a stufling box 5 on the head 6 ofthe cylinder 3. Between the opposite head 7 of'the cylinder and thepiston 4 is a spring 8 which is strong enough to operate through thepiston 4 and rod 1 to close the valve B. Air or other elastic fluid isadmitted through a pipe 9 to the side of the piston opposite from thespring 8; and the pressure of this fluid is greater than the tension ofthe spring 8. so that the piston cannot be moved by the spring as longas fluid pressure is acting on the piston in a direction to hold thethrot tle valve open. Under emergency conditions the air pressure in thecylinder 3 is released so that the spring can act on the piston to closethe valve. The throttle lever 2 is movably connected with the cylinder 3so as to move the same to any desired position according to the positionthe throttle valve is to occupy. The lever 2, Fig. l, is fulcrumed at 10on a bracket or other suitable support 11 and has a yoke 12 whichsurrounds the cylinder and which is connected with the latter by meansof gudgeons or j ournals 13, so that by moving the lever back and forththe position of the cylinder can be changed. WVhen the cylinder is movedto the desired position air pressure is sunplied to the cylinder to acton the piston 4 therein so as to move the valve open. When the throttlevalve is open to any extent required and emergency conditions arise torequire the throttle to be closed, the air pressure is automaticallyreleased from the cylinder 3 and the piston 4 moves in a direction toclose the throttle valve while the cylinder 3 is held stationary by thelever 2.

After emergency conditions are removed, the

air pressure is reestablished in the cylinder 3 and the valve is therebyopened, but the extent of opening of the valve will of courseberegulated by the engineer, so as to admit steam gradually.

The air for controlling the throttle motor C is derived from the maintank D of the air brake system, and this tank is connected by a pipe 14with a valve device E, which is in turn connected by a flexible pipe 15with the pipe 9 ofthe motor cylinder 3. This valve device E is also usedto release the air from the train pipe 16, so that the brakes of thelocomotive or train will be automatically set, and for this purpose thetank D is connected by a pipe 17 with the valve device E, and the latteris in turn connected by a pipe 18 with the train pipe 16, there 5 beingin the pipe 17 an engineer"s valve F.

ner to'move the same to the emergency position shown in Fig. 3. Thespring 25 encircles one end of the plunger 19 and is interposed betweenthe piston 20 and a crosshead 26 that is fastened in any suitable mannerwith the casing 27 of the device E. The piston 20 controls a port 28that communicates with the motor C through a chamber 29 when the plungeris in the position shown in Fig. 2, and thevalve piston 21 controls theports 30 and 31 in such a manner that the former is normally open. sothat through the chamber 32 the pipe 18 leading from the train pipe willcommunicate with the engineers valve containing pipe 17, and so that thechamber 29 will be closed to the atmosphere through the port 31.Thepiston 22 controls communication between the chamber 32 and theatmosphere through ports 33 arranged in the end of the casing 27, so asto be covered and uncovered by the piston 22. During normal operationthe air is maintained in the cylinder 3 of the throttle motor by passingfrom the main tank D. of the air brake system through the pipe 14,(Fig. 1) port 28, (Fig. 2) chamber 29, and pipes 15 and 9, and' airpressureis maintained in the train pipe 6 through the pipe 17, port 30,chamber 32 and pipe 18. It will be understood that as soon as the.circuit'of through the uncovered port 31, and furthermore, the trainpipe of the air brake, system is opened to the atmosphere through theuncovered ports 33, and the escape of air through the engineers valve isprevented by the port 3O being covered. As soon as normal conditions arerestored the electromagnet 24 is energized and thereby replaces theplunger 19 to the position shown in Fig. 2. r 7

As under normal conditions the electromagnet 24 is energized and holdsthe valve plunger 19 in a position where the throttle motor C will bemaintained under air pressure and the brakes of the locomotive or trainwill be held released, the electro-magnet is in a normally closedcircuit that is adapted to be opened under emergency conditions by meansof a trip device G shown in Figs. 1 and 5. This trip device comprisesrelatively movable contacts 35 and 36 which are connected respectivelyby wires 37 and 38 with. a circuit breaker 39 and a source of current40, Fig. 5, and these instrumentalities are in turn connected by wires41 and 42 with the opposite terminalsof the electro-magnet 24. Thecircuit breaker 39 comprises a pair of contacts 43 and 44 so arrangedthat the contact 40 is disposed in the path of the piston 22 of thevalve device E, so that when the plunger of the latter is released bydeenergizing of the magnet 24', such plunger will in moving under theexpansion of the spring 25 strike'the contact 44 and separate it fromthe contact 43 and thereby provide an opening in the circuit of theelectromagn t after th said. c rc it h sbeen first opened by theseparation of the contact 35 from the contact 36 when the device G isoperated by a tripping means arranged along the roadway and disposed inemergency position bya suitable track circuit system or equivalentmeans. It will be understood that the trip device G may return to closedcircuit position, but this will not reenergize the electro-magnet 24:,since the circuit is maintained opened by the circuit breaker 39. Whenthe circuit breaking devices are operated as mentioned, the train isslowed down or stopped. An automatic re-setting means is provided forcausing the electromagnet 24; to be reenergized. This means comprises ashunt connection bridging the circuit breaker 39 and formed by the wiresi5 and 4:6 and contacts 47 and 48 of a relay 49. The relay 49 is inseries with an electric generator H, Figs. 1 and 5, and this generatoris connected with some moving part of the locomotive or train, such asthe axle 50, to which the armature of the generator is belted, andconsequently, as long as the locomotive is traveling at a predeterminedrate of speed there will be sufficient current flowing through the relay49 to hold the spring-actuated contact 4:7 away from the contact 48; andwhen the speed of the train is lowered by the propelling power being cutoff and the brakes operated, the relay 49 will lose its attractive powerand permit the contact 47 to engage the contact 48 and thereby completethe circuit of the electro-magnet 24. Accordingly, the plunger 19 of thevalve device will move and allow the circuit breaker 39 to close. Thecircuits are now restored to normal condit on so as to be ready to againoperate when the trip device 50 is again struck by a tripping device atsome point in the road being set in emergency position. When the trainis stopped the engineer immediately throws the lever 2 to the right,thereby moving the cylinder 3 in the same direction and causing thepiston i to engage the left end of the cylinder, whereby the air chamberon the right side of the piston will be at its maximum capacity.Consequently, when the apparatus is restored automatically to normalcondition by the energizing of the magnet 2%, the compressed air flowinginto the cylinder 3 will have no effect on the throttle valve of thelocomotive, since this valve cannot open because the piston is engagedwith the left end of the cylinder. To start the locomotive it is thennecessary for the engineer to move the cylinder 3 to the left to anextent depending upon the amount of opening of the throttle valvedesired, as it will be understood that as soon as the cylinder 3 ismoved the compressed air therein will cause the piston 4 to follow themovement of the cylinder; or in other words, the piston and cylindermove as a unit as the throttle lever is actuated in a direction to openthe throttle valve. As the engine speeds up, the generator H willsutliciently energize the relay 4:9 to cause the shunt around thecircuit breaker 39 to be opened and thereby give the trip device Gcontrol of the circuit of the electro-magnet 24 of the valve device E.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operationwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which theinvention appertains, and while I have described the apparatus which Inow consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and thatsuch changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. An engine stop apparatus comprising a device for throwing on or offthe propelling power, a piston and cylinder motor, the cylinder of themrtor being movable, an engineers controller for adjusting the positionof the cylinder to control the'piston, a spring tending to move thepiston and thereby the device to oii position, and a valve de vice forsupplying to the cylinder fluid for actuating the piston and device toon position.

2. An engine stop apparatus comprising a device for throwing on and offthe propelling power, a piston connected with the device, a movablecylinder in which the piston moves, a spring disposed in the cylinderand acting on the piston to move the device to off position, anengineers lever connected with the cylinder to move the same todifferent positions and thereby control the movement of the piston, avalve for applying fluid pressure to the piston to act in 0pposition tothe spring for moving the device to on position, and electrical meansfor controlling the movement of the valve under emergency conditions.

3. A train stopping apparatus comprising a valve device controlling thesetting and releasing of the brakes of the train and the throwing on andofi' of the propelling power, said device including a reciprocatingelement, a normally energized electro-magnet for controlling the saiddevice, a normally closed trip-opened switch in circuit with the electrc-magnet and adapted to automatically close after being trip-actuated, acircuit breaker in the circuit of the switch and electro-magnet andarranged to be engaged and moved open by the said element of the valvedevice when the electro-magnet is deenergized, and a shunt around thesaid circuit breaker controlled by the rate otspeed of the train toreenergize the electro-magnet and restore the said valve device andcircuitclosed trip-opened switch in circuit with the electro-magnet andadapted to automatically close after being trip-actuated, a circuitbreaker in the circuit of the switch and electro-magnet and arranged tobe engaged and moved open by the said element of the valve device whenthe electro-magnet is deenergized, a normally opened shunt around thecircuit breaker, and electrical means operative when the train istraveling at a predetermined speed to hold the shunt open, and adaptedwhen the speed falls below such point to close the shunt circuit forreenergizing the electro-magnet to restore the valve device and circuitbreaker to normal condition.

5. An engine stop apparatus comprising a valve device including amovable element for automatically setting or releasing the brakes of thetrain and throwing on and otl the propelling power, a normally energizedelectrical means for holding the said element of the valve device intrain running position, a circuit for the said means, a switch in thesaid circuit and including a movable and fixed contact, a movablvmounted member carrying the movaole contact and arranged to be operatedby a striking device located along the roadway of the train, means forauto matically restoring the said member to closed circuit positionafter the said device passes,

a circuit breaker comprising normally engaged contacts in the saidcircuit for ma1ntaining the circuit open by the actuation of e the valvedevice to stop position whereby the said element engages one of thecontacts and moves it away from the other, and means dependent upon thespeed of the train for reenergizing the electrical means to restore thevalve device and circuit breaker to normal condition. V

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthe presence of the subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE W. VICKERS. V 7

Witnesses:

W. E. STEVENS, ARTHUR BLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0.

